Mayor Patricia de Lille says a majority of fellow DA councillors voted with “their stomachs and represented their jackets” when passing a motion of no confidence in her last night.
She has until Tuesday to make representations to the DA federal executive council explaining why she should retain her position.
The motion was passed after 97 councillors voted in favour while 41 voted against. There was one spoilt vote and 15 were absent.
The DA has 154 DA councillors in the city council.
In a statement, De Lille said: “The majority of the DA councillors in the City of Cape Town voted in favour of a motion of no confidence in me.
"This motion was brought on various grounds, all of which I disputed and asked the councillors today for evidence of so-called breaches they listed as reasons for the motion of no confidence.”
She said she had asked for examples of where she breached the councillors code of conduct, the DA’s constitution or the conditions of her suspension.
“I also asked for examples of where I made statements which brought this party into disrepute after I pointed out that every statement I have made about the allegations against me has been in response to comments made by other DA members.
"I pointed out that it could not be fair that my name, integrity and reputation is damaged and that I could not be allowed to defend myself publicly,” said De Lille.
She said she had received thousands of messages of support from residents across Cape Town, and it was clear that the motion was driven by individuals’ feelings and not the public’s will.
“I will make representations to the DA federal executive as I understand this to be the next step in the process,” she said.
The DA’s deputy caucus chairperson, JP Smith, who was seen as the front runner for De Lille’s position, said the federal executive will consider the caucus decision and revert to them in due course.
Deputy chairperson of the federal council, Natasha Mazzone, said De Lille had brought the party into disrepute and breached the conditions of her suspension.
She said De Lille’s conduct in the public domain has amounted to frequent criticisms of the DA and its management of her case, to the extent that it appears that she does not consider herself part of the organisation any longer.
Mazzone said De Lille was no longer co-operating with the DA and she cannot effectively govern on a party mandate.
“Given the significant motivation, which explains why two-thirds of the caucus had voted to remove De Lille in the previous MONC (motion of no confidence), the fed-ex granted permission for the MONC to proceed.”
A DA ward councillor, who asked not to be named, said: “They had the numbers on their side. We were not
surprised with the outcome of the motion.”
He said the outcome showed how divided the caucus was.
“This has placed us in a very difficult place as the DA caucus in the City. It is not about winning or losing. It is about whether what we did today was right or wrong and what is the reaction of the voters outside, because the views of the councillors do not represent the views of the voters.
“In fact, you would agree that out there the mayor’s support has grown and continues to grow, but the party on the other side is taking a knock because of this issue of the mayor. ”
DA councillor Angus McKenzie, who tabled the motion, said: ‘‘It was the right thing to do. I think the caucus has spoken.’’